MENCS: Texas Penalties Announced, Harvick Loses Championship 4 Lock

NASCAR announced penalties that carried heavy fines on Wednesday following Texas Motor Speedway. The penalties announced by NASCAR stretched across the Camping World Truck and Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and impacted numerous teams. There were no penalties issued over in the NASCAR XFINITY Series garage.

 

Kevin Harvick led the field for 177 of the 337 laps on Sunday at Texas. The win would have locked Harvick into the Championship 4 at Homestead but will not count towards racing for a championship. Rodney Childers has been fined $75,000 and suspended for the next two Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races. Car chief Robert Smith has also been suspended for the final two events of the season. The team will also lose 40 driver and owner points for violating sections 20.4.12.a & b (Spoiler Note: Vehicle spoiler must conform to the CAD file and drawing. Spoilers must be used exactly as supplied from the manufacturer). Rule 12.5.2.6.2(c) applied to race finish as a post-race L1 infraction.

 

Second-place finisher Ryan Blaney led 40 circuits after starting on the pole at Texas on Sunday. Crew chief Jeremy Bullins has been fined $50,000 and the team will lose 20 driver and owner points. Car chief Kirk Almquist has been suspended for the next two Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series events for violating sections 20.4.17.6.b (Door Front Crush Panels Note: All filler panels must remain permanently attached for the entire event). Rule 12.5.2.6.2(c) applied to race finish as a post-race L1 infraction.

 

Erik Jones started 12th and scored his ninth top five finish of the season at Texas on Sunday. Jones, driving the No. 20 Toyota, finished fourth in stage one and seventh in stage two. Crew chief Chris Gayle has been fined $50,000. Car chief Jason Overstreet has been suspended for the next two Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series events. The team will lose 20 driver and owner points for violating sections 20.4.h Body & 20.4.17.8.b (Package Tray Note: Air cannot pass from one area of the vehicle interior to another. Vehicle package tray must remain flat and straight, front to back, with one break). Rule 12.5.2.6.2(c) applied to race finish as a post-race L1 infraction.

 

The lone penalty found in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series garage was for the No. 35 Toyota driven by Brennan Poole. The infraction occurred during practice when the No. 35 Toyota lost a ballast while going out for a practice run. Crew chief Ryan Bell, truck chief Jerry Kennedy and mechanic Patrick Magee have been suspended for the next three Camping World Truck Series / Gander Outdoors Truck Series championship events through February 20, 2019.

 

Two members violated NASCAR’s Substance Abuse policy. Doug J. Campbell, spotter of the No. 95 Chevrolet in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and Vincent L. Shull, who served as a crew chief with driver Brad Foy in the Camping World Truck Series at Martinsville, has been indefinitely suspended from NASCAR.

Brett Winningham
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